Progreso mayor arrested on federal drug trafficking charges

Homeland Security Investigations special agents on Monday morning arrested Progreso Mayor Gerardo Alanis on federal drug charges.

In a statement, HSI said the arrest is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation and that the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and other state and local agencies assisted in the arrest.

“This is part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. No additional details are being released at this time, as the criminal investigation remains ongoing. To report suspicious activity, we encourage people to call the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. All calls are kept confidential,” HSI said in the statement.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas also confirmed the arrest and said that Gerardo Alanis is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute approximately 58 pounds of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute approximately 30 pounds of cocaine.

The arrest follows a March 5 superseding indictment that also accuses the Progreso school district’s board president Francisco Javier Alanis with smuggling approximately 88 pounds of cocaine in 2020.

He was arrested late last year.

The Monitor has obtained a copy of the superseding indictment.

That document alleges that Gerardo Alanis and Francisco Javier Alanis smuggled about 58 pounds of cocaine on June 13, 2020 and another 30 pounds of cocaine on Aug. 8, 2020.

The men are also charged with conspiring to smuggle cocaine from January 2020 to March 20, 2022.

The superseding indictment also seeks the forfeiture of a property in La Feria.